A few weekends ago, some of you may have heard about (or attended!) Boogie by the Bay, a swing dance weekend in Burlingame. The event primarily caters to West Coast Swing dancers, but the organizers make sure to include some
Chick Webb: Lindy Hopper’s Delight
Have you ever witnessed a jam? Not the mellow birthday or out-of-towners kind of jam, but the kind where a circle will suddenly clear on the dance floor and couple after couple will take turns in the spotlight, showing off
King of Swing: Benny Goodman
Benny Goodman (1909-1986) was an American jazz musician, clarinetist & band leader, often referred to as the King of Swing. He led one of the most popular, successful and iconic big bands of the Swing Era. His band is also
Moten Swing(s)
Audrey and I recently taught a musicality workshop at the 9:20 Special in San Francisco in which we asked students to get familiar with the melodies and structure of some quintessential pieces of swing music — in order to better
The Cats and the Fiddle
The Cats and the Fiddle was one of the premier R&B vocal & small combo groups of the 1930s, who followed on the heels of the success of the popular Mills Brothers. In contrast to the smooth, flowing sound of
Lady Day: Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday (born: Elinore Harris, April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz singer and song writer. She earned the nickname “Lady Day” from her friend and musical partner Lester Young, and was regarded for the way she
Charlie Barnet
Charlie Barnet was an American saxaphonist and bandleader in the 1940s. The peak of his musical career was between 1939-1941, beginning with his first hit, “Cherokee” in 1939. Another popular dance hit was Skyliner in 1944. He was an outspoken
Easy Does It: The Big Eighteen
I was recently pleased to finally locate one of my long sought-after CD albums online at Amazon.com: The Big Eighteen: Echoes of the Swinging Bands. If you have ever taken a lindy hop workshop with the late Frankie Manning, then
Louis Prima
Louis Prima (December 7, 1910 – August 24, 1978) was an Italian-American singer, trumpter, actor and bandleader. Along with Louis Armstrong and Louis Jordan, he was one of the three famous trumpeting and singing Louis’ of the swing era. Comparisons
Miss Rhythm: Ruth Brown
Ruth Brown was an American R&B singer who was notable for bringing a popular style to the rhythm and blues, through a series of hit songs in the 1950s, including “(Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean” and “Teardrops from My